For Raising Cain

A picture of my future wife, P. Yes, I just call her by her first initial. Plus, I knew this picture would tilt, Raising Cain. Holla!

posted by Joaquin "The Rooster" Ochoa @ 6:47 AM 3 comments

Random Post

I was going to add more to the weekend with some of the bloggers that came to town but the truth is that Derek did one of his killer posts and I just left it at that. How can The Rooster follow that up?

Moving On.

I went to A.C. a few weeks ago for one of my all night benders. Lost a big hand in the stud game when my boat was out done by a straight flush! Ouch. I would go into hand history here...but I’ve been reading those too much in my books these days. But this is how it played out verbally.

Seventh card face down and old man bets. I’m thinking he hit his flush and my mind starts to sing the Star Spangled Banner...doh!

Old Man: Bet
The Rooster: Raise
Old Man: Re-Raise
The Rooster- Re-Raise
Old Man: Re-Raise
The Rooster: Can you spread your cards out more (I see it!). Yikes. You hit the straight flush on me.
Old Man: Silent
The Rooster: This has happened to me before and it hurt...I’m going to mercy call here knowing you have the straight flush.
Old Man: Here you go.
The Rooster: Thanks.
Another Old Man: Son, I didn’t think you were going to hit the breaks there.
The Rooster: I wasn’t...I had a big full house.
Another Old Man: Shit, everyone could see that.
The Rooster: Thanks.

We all started to laugh at that one a bit. I’m not sure about the odds of that...but it has happened to me before so I wasn’t going to get into a raising war with Gramps who played one out of every 15 hands. I went home down about 300.00 for the night.

I sent High on Poker a text I was already home at the time. In any case, he said he had just won a tournament. I was happy for the guy. Then I read in his blog that he chopped. Sorry, J-Dog, you can’t say you won a tournament if you chopped. Just my take.

Also, I put everyone’s favorite Mid-West Lawyer on the blog-roll, Res Ipsa. What can I say, Res is the man. One of the nicest guys in the poker community and he might seem tight on the poker table, but when you see this guy out in Vegas he has a lot of gamble to him. I’ve seen him playing just about every single game and table in Sin City. I think him and Grubby would get a long because I always see him playing slots. Res, you are going to lose on those things. The Rooster’s Consulting advice and free with no charge.

Maudie and GCox are starting to promote Okie Vegas so you might want to hit their sites.

I got a call from Donkey Puncher the other night saying, I’m rolling to the corner bar alone tonight. I was like...funny because I’m rolling solo also. When a man needs his beer he needs his beer...maybe we have a problem going to a bar alone for a beer...haha!

Poor-Poor Joe Speaker. Sure he will say that we all go to those dark places from time to time. I agree. But I go there when I need to hit a punching bag really hard and I leave those places alone after that. Otis said something to the extent that he wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror and says, Oh, it's you again. I see Speaker waking up and saying, "Shit, I made it through another day."

Speaking of the OTIS CLAN. I really do suggest you go visit Mrs. Otis. She has to be one of the funniest ladies out there with her Apple Bottom project. They got this game to help them with their health...Fitness Wii.

Falstaff is getting all girly on us and suggesting bags to purchase. I use a lot of man bags myself, but I don’t go suggesting them on my blog. Sure he’s going to tell you that it is a work thing...but I think he’s going the way of Speaker and DP.

In closing, I am still hoping that we can have the winter gathering where I will defend my title as the WPBT Winter Champion. I got an email from someone saying I brag too much about that victory. Maybe. But like my main man at Poker In The Weeds says, to be the man, you have to beat the man. Until then...eat it!!

posted by Joaquin "The Rooster" Ochoa @ 7:55 AM 4 comments

Pimping

I love it when people are like...Rooster, why do you pimp other folks? I'm a nice guy? In any case, here is the skinny.

Did anyone see Phil Ivey court side at the Lakers game last night? He must have taken Jerry Buss for some money.

Is it me or is The Rooster still the defending WPBT Champion? I can say that until next winter.

If you have some time go over to Jamie's at Wall Street Poker and read about his trip to California poker rooms...great tales indeed. A crew of us went to Jamie's pad to get him out for a beer when we were in his hood...to no avail...he was in Cali. StB seemed amused that a game would take place there. I even told him there was a real poker table where the cards were dealt. In any case, this is my favorite line from his trip report and playing cards in South Central:

“It’s daylight on an early Monday Morning. What better time to go to Compton? All the gangstas are sleeping!”.

Once again, I'm glad I'm not a writer/artist type. You have to love this blogger and his love of emotional pain. Dear God the dark places this guy visits. Makes me thank god that I'm not an artist or writer. I love being a hack.

I hate to pimp them again, but they have the best one, two, and three combo in the south Up For Poker is talking poker and ponies. Remember this...read the post CJ put up about Casino Drive. I looked him up on ESPN and they have a clip of him pulling away from that pack. I'm smelling what Luckbox has cooking. No new pictures of the home and Mrs. Luckbox?

Of course you have to go see Tripjax for he put up some cute pictures of his kid.

Also, might want to hit GCox for his write-up about his daughter. GCox is da man!

Some people like Pauly's poker blog which is good. But if you haven't gone HERE to his regular blog you are missing out on funny stuff...Viva White Gold!

Also, besides Change100 is there another blogger who has made two WPBT final tables in Vegas? Someone said CJ but I'm not sure about that. I'm just asking because when I win the trophy next winter I want to be the second or third person to reach a final table more than once.

posted by Joaquin "The Rooster" Ochoa @ 9:06 AM 9 comments

Mid-West Invades NYC - Part II / Pictures

posted by Joaquin "The Rooster" Ochoa @ 6:28 AM 1 comments

Mid-West Invades NYC - Part I

It is impossible to capture or do justice to Pauly, Iggy, G-Money, Stevie the Bull and Bobby Bracelet’s visit to the Big Apple. Thus, I will give highlights as they come to mind.

Tuesday, April 28th. I get a call from Pauly Hollywood saying that he’s flying in for Iggy’s birthday. The Rooster’s party hat is put on and he’s ready to rock and roll. Can you say, BARN BURNER!

Wednesday 9:30 pm. Home Base for the crew for the weekend (The Rooster’s Crib). The Rooster picks up some Red Stripe (for Hollywood) and Guinness (for the midget...I mean, Little Person).

Pauly Drama arrives and we chat for a bit. Something smells funny in my apartment (magic tea). Nuff said. Iggy and G-Money call and tell me they are on a bus. WTF? Conversation goes something like this.

Iggy: Rooster, we are on a bus leaving the airport.
Rooster: What?
Iggy: This nice old man told us to catch this bus; we aren’t sure where we are going.
Rooster: Are you serious?
Iggy: He was a nice old man.
Rooster: Dude, I told you and G-Money to catch a damn cab…it’s only like 20 bucks!
Iggy: What should I do? What is your address?
Rooster: What bus are you on…The M5?
Iggy: I don’t know?
Rooster: Ask someone there on the bus.
Iggy: They don’t speak English.
(I look at Pauly Hollywood and shake my head…Pauly is either in outer space from the tea or just giggling for the hell of it)
Rooster: Dude, go ask the bus driver
Iggy: I don’t know if he speaks English either.
Rooster: Get up and go ask him!
Iggy: G-Money, ask someone where we are at?
G-Money (in the back ground): Donde esta la biblioteca?
Rooster: Dude, he just asked them where the damn Library was.

Finally Iggy lets out a laugh. Pauly is like, I thought they had you going. Score one for the visiting team.

Next conversation as to where we are going to drink.

Pauly: Rooster, I was thinking somewhere local.
Rooster: I like that idea. Maybe UWS bars (notice the S at the end of bar).
Pauly: Rooster, the boys like to HUNKER down at a bar. They probably aren’t into running and hitting 10 bars in one night like you do.
Rooster: O.K. a few bars then.
Pauly: O.K. I say we hit P&G and Yogi’s.
Rooster: YOGI’S BAR!!!!

The boys arrive and unwind to a few beers. Pauly Drama is all heart and class and that is hard to find people in Hollywood and NYC. He brought a gift for both of our Mid-West guests. Magic Tea for G-Money and a cool painting for Iggy.

There is a story behind the painting that I can’t really go into here because I’m not sure I have permission to discuss it. But let me say this…if you ever get to know Pauly he is an interesting cat. Serious, you read his stuff and you are like, wow…this guy is a crazy MOFO who runs around the world covering poker and hitting magic tea houses. Yet, there is this other side of him that is not so much vulnerable as I would say, sincere. When he explained to us the time in his life when he did the painting it was….raw, pure, unedited, sad, uplifting and in your face. The rawness of that time in his life was there in that painting but his explanation of it blew me away. I’m sure he thought nothing of it, but it is odd for someone to bare their soul as Pauly did and on the spot. Somewhat hard to explain without the background but maybe he will discuss it someday.

Moving on to P&G! I think they have the oldest neon sign on a bar in the city. It is an old bar with wood for the bar, seats and tables. A throwback if you will. This is Pauly Hollywood’s favorite bar on the UWS and we have been here a few times…but this time it was a bit different.

I walk in and I knew this bar in my past. I’ve been to this bar before in my youth. Memories flood my mind of years past. I’ve been to this bar before, well not this bar, but one similar to it.

I sat there with my father for a burger or menudo on the weekends when he was watching the ponies run and catching football games. My parents had a bunch of drama when I was growing up, so as punishment my Mom would make my Dad take me with him. So we would hit the bar and I would watch my father play pool, bet the ponies, and football. It was an all day affair and my second meal of the day there was always tacos. Then before the football games were to start my Dad would give me a few 20’s and some loose change. He would have me walk over to Gustavo and place a bet for him, “Tell Gus 40.00 on the Raiders and the quarters so you can play your game (Space Invaders, baby!).”

I digress.

So this would be the drinking hole for the weekend. Once I seen how happy G-Money and Iggy were at P&G Bar I knew it would be hard to wraaaastle them out of there.

We finally walked out to Yogi’s and that was o.k. We played some pinball and this funny conversation broke out between Iggy and me as Pauly and G-Money are talking music and country/hippie bands they have seen.

Rooster: Let me get the next ball on the machine, Iggy.
Iggy: Yeah, yeah, hold on, I’m trying to figure out this game and how to beat it.
Rooster: O.K. let me get the next ball.
Iggy: Yeah, Yeah, o.k.
(Five minutes later…Yes, Iggy does have pinball skills)
Rooster: O.K. my turn.
Iggy: Rooster, you can get the next game, I promise.

I was sitting there laughing because Iggy takes his pinball serious. He was so into that game…he was locked in…funny stuff. I’ve asked Iggy to cover me for 300.00 bucks and he gives it to me without questions or a payback date. Iggy has let me take over a 500.00 dollar stack in a no-limit game (my weakest game) without thinking twice. But you can’t have one ball in his pinball game…funny stuff.

I spoke to a few of the lady patrons. The boys were happy just sitting there drinking and watching me sing my country songs that played on the box.

Then I see Pauly Hollywood walk over to play some songs. Of course I’m scared because I don’t know Pauly’s taste in Country Music. But low and behold he reeled off a good set of songs. Interesting…a little country in the Pauly Hollywood?

We then went around the corner to drink some more beer. We were asked to leave nicely after a few Mexican jokes went awry. But in all honesty, the jokes were rather funny.

We called it a night at 4:30a.m.

posted by Joaquin "The Rooster" Ochoa @ 10:03 AM 4 comments